


Expertise

by geekyjez



Series: Isii Lavellan [8]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/M, Friends to Lovers, Magical Combat, Sparring, Training, friends who flirt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-12
Updated: 2016-11-12
Packaged: 2018-08-30 15:25:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,907
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8538277
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/geekyjez/pseuds/geekyjez
Summary: Isii doesn’t always appreciate Solas correcting her magical techniques while she’s practicing. He insists it’s because he is more experienced than she is. She decides to put that to the test. 
  Pre-Relationship Solavellan





	

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted to tumblr April 10, 2015.

“No,” Solas said firmly with a sharp shake of his head. He lowered his staff, closing the distance between them as Isii peered at him, confused. “Your form is incorrect.”

“I’ve always done it this way,” she countered.

“Which explains your lack of control when casting fire.” Her eyes narrowed, irritated as he tapped the end of her staff with his own, shifting the angle. “If you do not draw back far enough, you will not gain sufficient force when you release the blast. You want to warp the Veil around the blaze as you generate it. If you do not get enough of a snap on your forward thrust, then the construct containing the fire will not be properly formed. The fireball will lose shape in midair, costing you momentum. Your accuracy will suffer for it.”

“My accuracy has never been a problem,” she snapped. Her reaction didn’t surprise him. This was not the first time they had practiced together and he was already aware that his numerous corrections were beginning to frustrate her. The pair had a small audience, as they often did, comprised mostly of former Templars who watched the mages warily before Cullen barked at them to focus on their shield drills. While still well within eyesight, the sounds of Haven felt distant there, far enough out for them to cast without the risk of collateral damage.

Solas took a slow, patient breath. “You should not take offense from my attempts to help, Lavellan. I only wish to share what experience has taught me.”

“And you think you’re so much more experienced than I am?” Isii asked pointedly. There was no anger in her question, though she was clearly challenging him with her tone as she gave him an incredulous look. “Come now, Solas. You’re not _that_ much older than me. You’ve had a few years head start _at most_ when it comes to using magic. I’ve been formally trained since the day my powers manifested.”

“By the Dalish.”

Her eyes fluttered into a subtle roll. “Ah. Yes. To you, that would probably seem a shortcoming in and of itself, wouldn’t it?”

“You are far less experienced in utilizing your abilities in combat.”

“I know how to kill. I’m a hunter-”

“Hardly the same thing,” he said, chuckling. “Last I checked, a rabbit was not likely to hit you back.”

She studied his face, a small grin tugging at the corner of her lips as she angled her chin up. “Fine then, _hahren_ ,” she said, the title dripping with sarcasm. “If you’re so much better than I am, then prove it.”

His expression was unchanging as she lifted her staff, twisting it to stretch her wrist as she shifted her weight. “I have no desire to fight you, Lavellan, if that is what you are indeed suggesting.”

“Why? Because you’ll lose?” Isii asked playfully.

Solas smiled despite himself. “Arrogance is not something I would have expected from you, even if only feigned.”

“Says the man too proud to risk being proven wrong.” She smiled brightly, her brow arched. “Consider it a training exercise. Far better to practice with a moving target, is it not?” She lowered her voice, her tone soft and teasing as she locked eyes with him. “Don’t tell me that all those years of sleeping away your time in the Fade have left you intimidated by a simple sparring session?”

He provided his answer, casting barriers over each of them. “Very well then,” he said as she beamed, stepping back a few paces. She looked rather pleased with herself as she moved, sizing him up as they both slowly circled one another. He was not concerned. Their time in the Hinterlands had given him plenty of opportunities to see what she was capable of. He had his own reasons for making a careful study of her and he had not overlooked her strengths and weaknesses when circumstances had forced her to fight.

She telegraphed her first strike and he countered it easily, absorbing the flickering stream of lightning in a shield of spirit energy, neutralizing the crackling buzz. She quickened her pace, twirling the staff in a wider arc and though the next blast had more power behind it, he was more than prepared with a second wave to deflect it, stepping nimbly out of the way. She then let forth a series of blows, lightning snaking along the length of her weapon before arcing wildly, whipping towards him. The effect was much the same, though he could commend her for increasing her speed, aiming high and then low so that he had less time to shift the flow of energy. “You can’t defeat me by simply using barriers,” she taunted.

He smiled. “I had no intention of doing so.” His movement was quick – far too quick for her to prepare as he shot a sheet of frost along the ground, reaching her feet within seconds. As soon as he saw her shift her weight to avoid the icy path he fade-stepped to meet her, hurtling his body forward as he summoned, preparing to strike high and throw her off-balance. He was surprised when he felt the sharp crack against his staff, her own raised to knock his aside, the bolt of cold he’d been preparing misfiring. He did not have time to recoil before he felt the concussive wave peel away from her body, purple light sizzling against her skin before crashing against him. He tugged at the Veil sharply, quickly bringing forth a wall of force to shield himself. Even as he caught the brunt of it, he could feel the barrier around him rippling as he took a step back.

She lunged, seeing the opening, choosing to lash out with her staff rather than casting. “That was sloppy, Solas,” she said with a laugh as he parried. “I’ve seen you use that trick before. Or did you think I wouldn’t remember?” She swung with her staff once more but he hooked it with his own, pinning the tip of it to the ground before bringing his foot down over it, ripping it from her grasp as it hit the dirt. She cursed sharply as he hit her hard in the stomach, forcing her to brace herself on one knee as she staggered back. He kicked her staff away, angling his own.

“You’d sacrifice your weapon far too easily, Lavellan,” he chided.

“Who said I needed it?”

He had never seen her cast freehanded before, light sparking and bursting across her arms as she curled her fingers. The fact that she was capable did not surprise him, but her speed and accuracy was startling. Storm magic was notoriously difficult to control even with a means of channeling it. Rather than coming off of her in the chaotic spirals he anticipated, it shot forward in a series of whipping chains, crashing hard against the wall of ice he raised to shield himself. He did not pause, continuing the movement of his weapon as he spun, tongues of flame trailing after the end of his staff before he sent the ball of fire barreling down on her.

It forced her into a run and he pursued, closing the distance quickly. As she bent down, reaching for her fallen staff he was on her, sweeping her feet out from under her. She landed hard, rolling, freezing as she fell to her back, the bladed tip of his weapon seated above her throat.

He held her there a moment, steadying himself, struggling to hide his labored breaths as she stared up at him. He withdrew, bringing his staff back to his side as he lowered the barriers around them. “A solid effort, Herald,” he said, offering his hand to help her up. She stared at him a moment, her lips pursed in frustration before she let out a hard sigh, slipping her hand into his own. He had her halfway to a seated position before he felt her grip tighten. She tugged hard on his arm, pulling him down with the full force of her body as she slammed her shoulders back into the dirt, his balance thrown forward as she connected her foot with one of his knees. He could feel her moving even before he hit the ground, her leg kicked up over his waist. He grunted, quickly shifting his staff between his hands, pressing up to catch her across the chest as she fell upon him. She gripped the weapon, bearing her weight down sharply until his elbows were pinned to the ground, his hands trapped on either side of his chest. He angled his hips to knock her to the side but she quickly stabilized, hooking her ankles until she had his legs splayed, his thighs immobilized beneath her shins.

She flashed a broad smile, her hair falling wildly across her face as she looked down at him. Steam puffed from parted lips as she panted. “I take it you didn’t see that coming?”

“A little underhanded, is it not?” he asked, his eyes narrowing, still trying to steady his own breaths. “The fight was over.”

“You _assumed_ the fight was over,” she said with a grin. “I simply chose not to correct you. Besides,” she said, pausing in an attempt to blow a piece of hair away from her eyes. “You should never be under the impression that I won’t utilize a little trickery in a fight. You’d be surprised how effective it is.”

He couldn’t resist laughing and her face brightened further at the sound. “I will keep that in mind, Lavellan.”

She peered down at him, letting out a soft huff of laughter as she shook her head. "Always so formal. Lavellan is my clan name. I'd much rather you call me Isii."

He studied her face for a moment before nodding. "If that is what you wish."

She released his staff, easing herself off of his legs. She was still seated above him as she poked her finger against his chest. “Looks like you singed yourself a bit, Solas,” she said, trailing her touch along the front of his tunic. “Perhaps you need a refresher on how to use fire magic?”

“Very funny,” he said dryly as she giggled. Despite the admittedly suggestive nature of having her straddling his hips, he found it surprisingly comforting to feel the warmth and weight of her against him, even for only that brief moment of respite before she pulled away.

“Don’t be so sour,” she said, helping him to his feet. “I know you had me pinned.” She bent over, eyeing him as she picked up her staff. “But surely having me climb on top of you was not entirely objectionable,” she teased with a smirk, arching her brow.

He nodded calmly, the corner of his mouth lifting. “Perhaps.”

“ _Perhaps?_ ” she repeated with a laugh. She closed the distance between them, tapping him on the shoulder with her staff as she passed. “Then _perhaps_ we’ll have to try it again sometime so you can make up your mind.”

He watched as Isii continued along the path back to Haven. For a brief moment he considered responding to her flirtation in kind, but thought better of it. Despite their growing familiarity, that was not something he needed to encourage. Solas let out a slow breath, shaking his head as he followed the Herald back into their newfound home.


End file.
